IUD prepackaged in a tubular inserter

Abstract

A relatively narrow diameter tubular inserter adaptable for use with a wide variety of intrauterine devices, having lateral slots therein for retaining a resilient intrauterine device in an undeformed state during shipment and storage prior to insertion. The intrauterine device is moved to a deformed state within the relatively narrow tube just prior to insertion, and ejected therefrom into its normal expanded state within the uterine cavity, whereupon the tube is withdrawn.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by letters patent is: 
     
       1. The combination of a resilient intrauterine device comprising a major portion, and laterally extending portion means, and an inserter for high fundal positioning of said intrauterine device, said inserter comprising an elongate tubular body having a front, cervix entry and intrauterine device expulsion end and a rear terminal end, and means for housing said major portion of said resilient intrauterine device within said tubular body with said intrauterine device being in a substantially undeformed configuration; whereby said intrauterine device may be deformed into an elongate shape within said tubular body prior to insertion of said inserter into placement position relative to a uterus and thereafter expelled into its substantially undeformed configuration within a uterine cavity. 
     
     
       2. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body comprise means defining at least one window through a side wall of said tubular body, said window being arranged to retain said intrauterine device laterally extending portion means projecting through said window in substantially undeformed configuration. 
     
     
       3. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body comprise means defining a pair of windows disposed one on each side of said tubular body, said windows being arranged to retain said intrauterine device laterally extending portion means projecting through said windows in substantially undeformed configuration. 
     
     
       4. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body comprise at least two pairs of windows through the sidewall of said tubular body, one of said window pairs displaced axially with respect to the other along the long axis of said tubular body, said windows being arranged to retain said intrauterine device laterally extending portion means projecting through said windows in substantially undeformed configuration. 
     
     
       5. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body is located adjacent said tubular body front end. 
     
     
       6. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body comprise means defining a pair of windows in said tubular body, the ends of said windows closest to said tubular body front end being located equidistant from said tubular body front end. 
     
     
       7. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 6 wherein said pair of windows have equal width and equal length dimensions. 
     
     
       8. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 7 wherein said pair of windows are aligned in the same plane containing the axis of the tubular inserter. 
     
     
       9. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body consists of one window through a side wall of said tubular body, said one window being arranged to retain said portion means of said intrauterine device projecting through said one window. 
     
     
       10. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1, further comprising intermediate intrauterine device disposition means located between said intrauterine device major portion housing means and said tubular body front entry end for positioning said resilient intrauterine device substantially wholly within said inserter prior to said insertion of said inserter into placement position relative to a uterus. 
     
     
       11. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1, further comprising plunger means within said tubular body for moving said intrauterine device to a deformed shape within said tubular body and for expelling said intrauterine device from said tubular body. 
     
     
       12. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 11 wherein said tubular body and said plunger means are made of flexible, substantially physiologically inert material. 
     
     
       13. The intrauterine device and inserter combination of claim 1 wherein said means for housing said major portion of said intrauterine device within said tubular body includes window means opening through the wall of said tubular body, said window means being arranged to retain said intrauterine device laterally extending portion means disposed through the wall of said tubular body in a substantially undeformed configuration.